1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the production of paper-like thermoplastic films and more particularly to the production of such paper-like films from polyethylene containing inorganic fillers by extruding the film as a tube using a mandrel or using gas pressure within the tube.
2. Background of the Invention
For many years, the plastics industry has been trying to invent a synthetic paper of plastic that could be used to make light weight envelopes. Up until now these efforts have failed because no one was able to formulate a plastic with paper-like properties that would allow a postage stamp to adhere to its surface. The present invention overcomes this stubborn problem through the ingenuous addition of caprolactone to the film. The new film is approximately half the weight of the paper manila envelopes that it replaces, thus reducing the cost of postage. The envelopes made out of the invention are also stronger than paper envelopes thereby allowing the envelopes made out of the invention to be reused. Since the envelopes are recycleable, the consumer can save on the purchase of new envelopes. In addition, wide spread use of such envelopes could help reduce the volume of paper deposited in our nation's overburdened landfills.